Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $817 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $1,230 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,644 in Changchun.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 183% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Changchun is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$2.81 ¥18.82

515.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$21.92 ¥147

188.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$5.93 ¥39.75

92.07%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$2.37 ¥15.91

34.60%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.10

$0.58 ¥3.86

322.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.31 ¥2.09

467.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.87 ¥5.82

312.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.84 ¥12.35

84.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$1.95 ¥13.04

-36.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.27 ¥8.51

55.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.35 ¥9.08

12.59%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.88 ¥12.61

114.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$34.14 ¥229

-60.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.95 ¥33.19

69.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$8.96 ¥60.1

103.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.70 ¥11.38

34.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.10 ¥7.36

58.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$1.75 ¥11.72

6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.37 ¥9.20

91.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.70 ¥4.72

174.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.57 ¥3.79

152.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$1.15 ¥7.73

-26.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$3.68 ¥24.63

84.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$12.05 ¥80.7

-52.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.86 ¥5.74

60.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.14 ¥7.66

94.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.43 ¥2.90

458.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.18 ¥7.89

253.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.29 ¥1.92

293.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$2.99 ¥20.03

491.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.26 ¥8.48

84.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.3K €30.4K

$19.2K ¥128.8K

83.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.4K €35.7K

$18.1K ¥121.0K

129.52%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$170 €147

$45.06 ¥302

278.01%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.34 €16.64

$4.33 ¥29.01

346.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$14.92 ¥100

125.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$37.18 ¥249

29.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$4.11 ¥27.54

384.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$9.53 ¥63.9

4.09%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$717 €617

$295 ¥1,977

143.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$8,938 ¥59.9K

95.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$51.4 ¥344

103.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$44.54 ¥298

5.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$60.1 ¥403

72.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$69.9 ¥468

77.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$219 ¥1,471

663.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$249 ¥1,670

409.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$578 ¥3,876

415.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$314 ¥2,106

533.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$1,635 ¥11.0K

378.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$976 ¥6,540

377.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$965 ¥6,468

64.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

4.37

-13.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Changchun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $219 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 64% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $22.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $277 per month, with Changchun cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $219 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $717 in Lisbon versus $295 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Changchun – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Changchun versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Changchun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lisbon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Changchun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.